Judging Covers
by Alcandre
Summary: Maine is taking part in a nationwide test. Random citizens are selected to take an IQ test and guess one of the people selected in Storybrooke. And she's not happy about it. SwanQueen. Based on request by TheSilverWarrior


This is in response to a prompt given to me by TheSilverWarrior. I'll put the prompt at the end since I don't want to give away the story. Anyway, a big thanks to TheSilverWarrior! I read the prompt and my muse ran away with it. I actually didn't sleep well that night because I had this plot going through my head along with my other story "Once in a Blue Moon". And the two stories don't mesh well…

Anyway, this is a SwanQueen fic. Don't like? Don't read. And if you guys have any other prompts or request, let me know! I'd love to have a challenge.

I am working on "Once in a Blue Moon" for the few who are reading that. No worries. I just wanted to get this out since I knew it was going to be a one-shot.

A big thanks to Laura! You know what you did! And you do it so well! LOL

I don't own OUAT. Done…

* * *

"I refuse."

"I'm sorry, Madam Mayor, but it is mandatory."

"It's insane. It makes no sense."

The authoritative voice on the other end of the phone cleared his throat. "The entire country is taking part, ma'am. It's something that the president and Congress have decreed needs to be done."

Regina rolled her eyes and gave of huff of frustration. "It still doesn't make sense. An IQ test? What reason on Earth is there to administer an IQ test in random cities in each state?"

"A study is being done to determine the average IQ in each state. And in order to do that, a random test will be administered to random citizens of the state."

"So, there is no way out of this?"

A slight chuckle came from the Governor's aide. "No, ma'am. But it will be very easy and almost painless, I promise."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Almost painless?"

Another chuckle. At least this guy had a sense of humor. "We will send a letter to the randomly selected citizens of Storybrooke within a week, telling them that they will be required to take the test. The tests will be given in three weeks and will be administered by a government official for each person selected. And then the results will be given a couple of weeks after that."

"And what will be the incentive for these 'lucky' citizens to do well?"

"An award will be given to the one with the highest IQ score."

"An award? Really?" Regina sounded unimpressed. "Like a trophy or something?"

"No, ma'am. It will be a surprise but I can tell you that it is much more than a trophy."

Regina sighed and shook her head. "Fine. I guess there's nothing I can do to get out of this, is there?"

"No, ma'am. You're stuck going through with this. I was just told to give you a fair warning."

"Then I'll let everyone know. Thank you, Steve. As always, it has been such a pleasure speaking with you."

"Is that sarcasm I hear in your voice, Madam Mayor? Because I would hate to tell the governor that you were rude."

Regina laughed. "Please, Steve. Please tell the governor I was rude. Maybe then he'll get someone else to call me with all the bad news."

Steve chuckled again. "I would never wish that on anyone. You have a good day, ma'am. I'll call you in a few weeks to discuss the details of the test."

* * *

Emma stared at the letter in her hands in shock. _Dear Ms. Swan_. The words seemed to mock her. She hated them. She hated the letter. She even hated the paper the letter was printed on.

"Shit," she muttered as she threw the letter on the table and let her head follow.

"Emma?"

Her lover's voice filtered through her anger and frustration and she slowly raised her head. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

Green eyes closed but the blonde head slowly nodded. "I'm fine."

"Did you get a letter? Are you taking the test?"

A delicate hand reached across the table and picked up the disgusting piece of paper.

"Yes, damn it," Emma growled. "I'm taking the stupid test."

Perfect eyebrows raised and red lips curled up in a smirk. "Why, Emma, whatever is wrong? Are you not excited to take this test?"

"No!" Emma growled fiercely. "No, I'm not!"

Regina chuckled and placed the letter back on the table as she sat across from the blonde. Thankfully, they were at the house and Emma wasn't making a fool of herself in public.

"It's just an IQ test, Emma. It's not like they're going to do something if you don't get a perfect score."

Emma sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I know. It's just…"

She trailed off and put her head in her hands, looking forlornly at the letter.

"Just what?"

After a moment of silence, Emma shook her head. "Nothing. I just don't want to take it. That's all."

"Mom! Mom!"

Henry ran into the dining room, a grin on his face and a letter clutched in his hand. "Look! I got a letter! I'm gonna be taking the test!" He skidded to a stop beside Regina and proudly handed her a letter very similar to Emma's.

"That's wonderful, Henry!" Regina gave her son a sideways hug and she studied the letter. Emma just groaned and let her head hit the table again.

"What's wrong with Emma?" Henry asked, watching his birth mother repeatedly hit the table with her head.

"She got a letter as well."

"And she's not excited?"

"Apparently not," Regina said. "But you know, Henry, not all people are as smart and excited about tests as you are."

Emma just lifted her head and glared at her lover and their son before getting up and stalking out of the room. "I'm going to my parents'. Maybe I can get some sympathy from them."

"Yes," Regina said loudly to the retreating blonde. "Run to your parents. They will definitely shower you with sympathy and soothing kisses."

All she got in response was a curse thrown over Emma's shoulder before the front door slammed.

Regina just smirked while Henry shook his head.

* * *

Various people in Storybrooke were selected. It was supposedly random but Emma had her doubts. When people like Archie, Ruby, and Blue were selected it seemed too…planned. Those three were obviously pretty smart. And everyone knew that Henry was one of the smartest kids in his school.

There were a few people selected that actually seemed random. Grumpy seemed less than happy about the letter he received and Jefferson seemed a little crazier than usual when he stalked into the diner the next day. But Belle only seemed to be glowing as she walked to work the next morning.

Emma just glowered at anyone who dared to ask how she felt about the test. She dreaded it. And that was very obvious. Her mother, kind-hearted soul that she was, tried to reassure her.

"The test doesn't matter, sweetie. It's not like they're going to release the scores to everyone in town. All you have to do is go in there, do your best, and then leave. You won't have to think about it ever again."

And other people tried to do the same thing; reassuring her that the scores didn't matter. No one looked at those tests anyway. It was just a stupid test.

And that hurt Emma's feelings. They were all taking her hate of the test as a sign that she wasn't "cut out for it". Even Regina, the woman she loved, seemed to be doting on Henry about the test more than Emma. She would tell him that he was going to do fine and would probably be the one to have the highest score.

Emma was overlooked. She was seen as someone with mediocre intelligence. Just how it had been for most of her life.

And no matter how used to that she was, whenever she was alone, she would pull out her favorite novel that she kept in her drawer at work, and read to chase her blues away.

Not that _The Grapes of Wrath_ was an uplifting novel by any means but it sure made her situation seem less bleak and very stupid.

* * *

The day of the tests arrived, for which Emma was grateful (since it meant that this whole ordeal would be over) but also dreaded (since it meant she actually had to take the test).

They were to meet at the library thirty minutes before their allotted test time. Emma's time was just after lunch so she took her lunch with her to the library and sat in one of the chairs step up outside a study room. Red and Grumpy were both sitting there apparently waiting for their tests, which were scheduled just after hers.

"Are you ready, Emma?" Red whispered as Emma started pulling her lunch out of the take-out sack.

Emma shrugged and took a bite of her sandwich. "Sure," she muttered. "Not much you can do to prepare for an IQ test."

Red and Grumpy sort of stared at her with curious looks on their faces.

"Who's in there now?" Emma asked.

"Henry."

Henry. Emma shook her head. She hadn't seen much of him or Regina the past few days. In fact, she was actively avoiding them. She was tired of being pushed aside so Regina could fuss over the boy about how smart he was. Emma knew it was immature to be jealous of an eleven year old (and her son) but she couldn't help it. She was already pretty insecure but to have even her lover not have much hope in her IQ hurt. It seems that everyone in town just took Emma as a dumb blonde…or something resembling one.

"Emma."

And speak of the devil. Emma turned her head and gave a small nod to Regina, who was making her way towards the waiting area. She took another bite of her sandwich so she wouldn't have to say anything. Anger was slowly taking the place of hurt and Emma knew she had a tendency to say things she didn't mean when she was angry.

"Is he in there?" Regina asked, sitting beside the eating blonde.

Another nod and another bite.

"I'm so nervous for him," Regina said anxiously.

"Why?" Red asked from a few chairs away. "You know he's going to do great."

Regina nodded and looked around Emma to make eye contact with Red. "I know but I can't help but worry."

Emma quickly took another bite of her sandwich before an angry retort could escape.

"He's gonna do fine, Regina," Grumpy said…well, grumpily. "You don't have to worry about it." He chuckled. "It's this one you should worry about," he said as she gave Emma a hard nudge in the side with his elbow.

Regina and Red laughed while Emma stopped chewing. She looked beside her at her lover (the woman she loved) as she laughed at her. She looked to the other side of her while her best friend and her mother's best male friend did the same. And she snapped.

"Oh, that's funny," she said softly, putting her sandwich in her lap and wrapping it back up. She slowly put it back in the sack and stood up. "It's funny to laugh at the person you are so sure is stupid." She made eye contact with Regina. "Do you think I'm _too stupid_ to get the joke? Or do you just find the idea that I could be so stupid and still be asked to take an IQ test hysterical?"

Regina opened her mouth to say something but Emma cut her off.

"No," she said softly. "I can tell by your body language and facial expression that you are about to say something sarcastic and mean. And I'm just not up to that. All my life I've been seen as 'the dumb blonde' or the 'little girl'. But I'm tired of that. Especially coming from my friends and lover." She shook her head. "It hurts." She clutched the bag of half eaten food in her hand. "I'm ready for this to be over," she muttered.

Before she could go any further, the door opened and Henry shot out, followed closely by the government official administering the tests.

"Mom! Mom! I'm done!"

Silence was the only thing that greeted him. Until…

"Emma Swan?"

Emma looked behind her at the official and then back at Regina, who was just staring at her. "I'm ready," she whispered. She turned and followed the man back into the room.

Regina gave a small flinch as the door closed behind them.

"Mom, what happened?" Henry asked softly.

"We messed up," Grumpy answered for her.

"What?" Henry asked. "How?"

"We basically called Emma stupid…to her face," Red muttered.

"Many times over," Regina finished.

"Why would you do that?" Henry asked, shocked. "She's not stupid."

"We know, Henry," Regina started.

"She loves to read," another voice said from behind them.

They all looked at Belle as she came from around a shelf of books.

"What?" Regina asked.

"She's in here almost everyday, either at lunch or for her afternoon break, reading a new book." Belle gave a soft smile. "Did you know that, Ms. Mills?"

Regina felt shame fill her entire being, something that she did not like feeling. "No, I didn't," she said sharply. "She never has any books at home."

"Yeah, she does," Henry said. Everybody looked over at him in shock. "They're in the study."

"No, they aren't," Regina demanded. "I would have noticed them."

"You read the same books."

Regina felt her mouth fall open, a look that was not becoming on the mayor. But no one said a word since they were all giving the same look. Well, everyone but Henry and Belle.

"She's read _Things Fall Apart_ and _A Tale of Two Cities_?"

Henry shrugged. "I think I saw her reading the city one and also a one called _Jane Eyre_."

Belle gave a soft laugh at that, trying to picture Emma reading _Jane Eyre_. She needed to remember to ask the sheriff what she thought of that one.

"Did you ask her about what she was reading?" Regina wondered.

Henry nodded. "She said she just loved to read because it took her away from the real world. She said something about fiction being much better than real life."

And there was that shameful feeling again. "Damn it."

"She also said she loves the classics like _Moby Dick_ and _The Time Machine_ but that some of her favorites were Stephen King books. I asked her to read me some. She said I'd have to wait until I was older for Stephen King."

"Good," Regina said without thinking.

"But she did give me a copy of _Lord of the Flies_."

"What?!"

* * *

Emma spent the next week at her parents' apartment. Regina or Henry hadn't tried to contact her and she really didn't want to talk to anyone. She woke up early, before her parents, went to the library, to work (eating a sandwich she made that morning for lunch), back to the library and finally back to the apartment way after her parents went to bed. She knew she was being childish but she didn't care. She was tired of being seen as stupid and had foolishly wished that the love of her life would see that.

"Back for another read?"

Emma smiled at Belle, the only one she could really stand being around these days. She and Belle had really started to get along once she returned from the Enchanted Forest. Having an open library in town really made Emma happy and she quickly started going every chance she got.

"I'm almost done with _For Whom the Bell Tolls_."

"Ah, Hemingway," Belle stated as she rolled a cart of books from around the desk. "Do you like him?"

"No," Emma stated simply. "He's a chauvinist pig." Belle laughed at that while Emma continued. "But I appreciate his books for what they are, literature that defined a generation. I think I'll move onto another time period next, though. I'm worn out on the 30s and 40s."

"They can get you down," Belle agreed. "Well, have fun. Let me know if you need anything. Oh, and before I forget, someone mentioned to me today to let you know that the scores will be in tomorrow and the announcement will be made about who had the highest score tomorrow at five at City Hall."

Emma sighed. "Do I have to go?"

Belle gave an understanding smile. "You need to, Emma. I know you were hurt but you and I both know you should be there. And that you should at least go see Regina."

Emma frowned. "I know. But she hasn't tried to contact me at all." The sentence sounded like a whine to Emma but she hoped it didn't sound like that to Belle.

"Maybe she's ashamed."

Emma bit her lip. Then sighed. "Maybe." She stood in silence for a second then shook her head. "I think I need to read something uplifting tonight. Do you have any Flannery O'Connor?"

"Of course," Belle said with a grin. "_Wiseblood_ is one of my favorites."

"Ah, so the quote "Faith is what someone knows to be true, whether they believe it or not" makes sense to you."

"Along with "There are all kinds of truth but behind all of them there is only one truth and that is that there's no truth." Hazel Motes is an excellent character."

Emma nodded with a grin as she walked off. "One of her best."

"Remember what O'Connor says about faith, Emma. Think about talking to Regina. It'll make everyone feel better."

* * *

Emma softly slipped through the door of City Hall, purposefully being late so she wouldn't have to mingle with anyone. She fully intended to speak with Regina after the announcement but didn't want to get into it before hand. Belle had offered to go with her to the announcement but Emma knew Rumple had wanted to be there to support his girlfriend.

The official who had administered the tests was up front at the podium, giving a short explanation of how the tests were done for the people who hadn't participated.

"And finally," he said as Emma took a seat in the back of the room. "The moment you have all been waiting for."

Emma snorted to herself. _Drama Queen much?_

"The announcement of who in Storybrooke has the highest IQ. And with that comes an all expense paid trip to Washington DC for a dinner with Mensa International, the largest society for people with a high IQ." The official cleared his throat. "However, we also planned to induct the winner into Mensa at the same time but it turns out they were already a part of it."

Murmurs erupted through the room.

"So, we will just extend the dinner invitation and allow the winner to bring two guests. So, without further ado, the winner for having the highest IQ in Storybrooke, and coincidently in all of this part of Maine, is…" He paused here for dramatic effect. "Emma Swan."

The murmurs stopped. Absolute silence fell over the room. Emma slowly stood up, walked to the front of the room and shook the official's hand.

"Emma," he said with a grin. "It is my absolute pleasure to give you this official invitation to the dinner. However, I'm sure you've been to a few of these before."

She gave a small grin. "Only a couple and they were a while ago. But thank you. It's nice to see that my IQ hasn't dropped as I got older."

"On the contrary," he said with a smirk. "I think it's actually a little higher now. "You're closer to 170 now."

"Huh," she said with a shrug. "I guess wisdom does come with age."

The official looked back at the other citizens of Storybrooke with a worried expression on his face since a sound hadn't been made yet. "Are they okay?"

Emma cut her eyes over to the crowd as well and then shrugged again. "Taken by surprise, I guess. You see, they didn't put much faith in me. Most of them saw me as stupid."

The official blinked. "What? But why?"

She shrugged again. "I don't exactly give off the "genius" vibe, do I, Craig?"

He looked her over, taking in her red leather jacket, skintight jeans, and high brown and worn out boots. Giving a small laugh he replied, "I guess not." But then he continued, making sure his voice was picked up by the microphone. "But you know what they say, "never judge a book by its cover."

Emma gave out a bark of laughter. "Cliché, much, Craig?"

He just grinned again. "It fits, don't you think?"

"It does," Regina said from the front row. She stood up and made her way to the podium. "And we were all very wrong. We shouldn't have just dismissed you, Emma. It wasn't right."

"It's fine," Emma stated with a wave of her hand. "I should be used to it, huh?"

"Not from me," Regina said firmly. "I was wrong to do so and I haven't been able to muster up the courage to tell you that. So, I'm sorry, my dear. I truly am."

"Me, too, Emma!" Red shouted from a few rows back.

"Me, too!" Grumpy replied.

The same thing was heard from all over the room and then the applause started, the loudest clappers being her mom and dad, who both had huge smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.

Emma just grinned and leaned closer to the mic. After everyone calmed down she gave a smirk. "You guys are all just clapping because you want to go to DC."

Everyone burst into laughter while Emma just shook her head. "But you all know that I'm going to be taking Regina and Henry."

Matching smiles came from the lucky two and Regina gave Emma a quick peck on the cheek.

"But we'll get you some souvenirs."

The End

Original Prompt:

_Maine has joined the nation with an IQ test fad/whatever. When the results_  
_come back, everyone is surprised by how high Emma's IQ score is-everyone,_  
_that is, except for Emma. Must be SQ post-curse, hurt/comfort, maybe a bit of_  
_angst._

Please review guys and let me know what you think! And PM me with any other requests!


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